Girdle

ABSTRACT

A girdle especially adapted to supplement the natural underlying muscle of the abdominal region. The girdle includes three sets of elastic panels which act in the same direction as the Transversus Abdominal Internal Oblique and External Oblique to effect control of the human figure. Coincidentally, the direction of the panels have a common focus at a point approximately on the hip of the wearer.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Carmen M. E. M. Braun St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada [21 Appl. No. 764,757 [22] Filed Oct. 3, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee Canadian Lady-Canadelle Inc.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada [32] Priority Mar. 1, 1968 [33] Canada [31] 013,735

[54] GIRDLE 8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs. [52] US. Cl 128/541,

[51] Int. Cl A41c U00 50 1 Field of Search 128/540, 546, 547, 548, 541, 524529 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,756 6/1966 Frei 128/543 3,438,376 4/1969 Murdock 128/540 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Att0meyStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ABSTRACT: A girdle especially adapted to supplement the natural underlying muscle of the abdominal region. The girdle includes three sets of elastic panels which act in the same direction as the Transversus Abdominal Internal Oblique and External Oblique to effect control of the human figure. Coincidentally, the direction of the panels have a common focus at a point approximately on the hip of the wearer.

PATENTEDHAR 21971 v 3568879 sum 2 OF 2 FIG. 5

FIG]

GIRDLE It is a function of all foundation garments, which will be referred to hereinafter as girdles regardless of their specific construction or whether they are intended for male or female use, to produce a slimming appearance of the body of the wearer around the abdominal and buttock regions. The wearers posture may, incidentally, be improved.

In the prior art, many girdle constructions have been described which have many of the desired properties of pulling" or controlling those portions of the body within the garment. Most usually, these properties are achieved by the provision of a plurality of panels each consisting of a separate piece of fabric having elastic warp threads oriented in the desired direction of pull to exercise control of the particular body region. Typical examples of the prior art are shown in U.S. Pats. No. 2,745,103 to Van Home on May 15, 1956 and 3,142,302 to Schonberg on Jul. 28, 1964.

However, these known garments merely compress or bind the body without regard for the underlying muscle system of the body, and therefore do not achieve their object as fully or as comfortably as is desired, because the muscles of the wearer and the girdle act against each other and do not supplement each other in the most natural manner. The direction of pull applied by the elastic panels in all of the prior art, is at a divergent angle to the natural line of pull of the muscles of the abdominal area.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a girdle which provides complementary support to the natural muscle structure in the abdominal region, thereby controlling soft flabby flesh, prominent abdomen, prominent buttocks and bulging thighs.

In order to achieve the desired results, it is necessary to comprehend the muscle structure of the abdominal region and reference will be made to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sketch showing the Transversus Abdominus muscle system in the human boy;

FIG. 2 is a sketch showing the Internal oblique muscle system in the human body;

FIG. 3 is a sketch showing the External oblique muscle system in the human body;

FIG. 4 is a sketch showing the Rectus Abdominus muscle system in the human body;

FIG. 5 is a sketch showing a front view of a girdle according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sketch of a side view of a present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a sketch of a rear view of a present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the Transversus Abdominus muscle which stretches across the abdomen from side to side. In the girdle, according to the present invention, shown in FIG. 5, 1 represents the elastic stretch panel corresponding to the Transversus Abdominus muscles.

FIG. 2 shows the Internal oblique muscles which stretch downwardly and outwardly. The corresponding elastic panel in the girdle in FIG. 5 is shown as 2.

FIG. 3 shows the External oblique muscles which stretch upwardly and outwardly, and in FIG. 5, an elastic panel 3 is girdle according to the girdle according to the provided in the girdle to correspond.

FIG. 4 shows the Rectus Abdominus muscles which act vertically up and down, and in FIG. 5, the panel shown as 4 acts in the same way as the Rectus Abdominus muscles.

Turning now to the girdle of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, 6 represents-a panty girdle having an encircling upper portion and a pair of legs 8. The girdle is formed with side panels 9 of a stretchable or nonstretchable material extendingbetween elastic lace leg bands 10 and waist band 11. Lower front panels 12 and 13 of stretchable material extend from leg bands 10 to the main front panel 14 which is described in more detail hereinafter. Similarly, back panels 15 and 16 of stretchable material extend between the leg bands 10 and main back panel 17 which is of similar construction to panel 14. A stretchable or nonstretchable crotch panel 18 may also be provided.

Front panel 14 includes elastic panels 1, 2 and 3 which, as previously indicated correspond to the muscle system of the abdomen. Panel 1 lies in a substantially normal plane to he vertical side panel 9 and it will be observed that the edges of panel 1 are not parallel. Upper edge 19 slopes upwardly and away from panel 9 and lower edge 20 slopes downwardly and away from panel 9. Panel 2 slopes upwardly and away from panel 9 and has nonparallel sides. Similarly, panel 3 slopes downwardly and away from panel 9 and has nonparallel sides. Each of elastic panels 1, 2 and 3 is securely sewn to its adjacent panel, panel 9, and vertical stretch or nonstretchable center panel 4. Center panel 4 corresponds to the Rectus Abdominus muscles and acts in the vertical plane to control the abdomen.

As noted, the edges of panels 1, 2 and 3 are not parallel, and it is a particular feature of the present invention that the nonparallel edges 19, 20, 21 and 22 have a common focus 23 which, by extrapolation, is usually located on side panel 9. Further, these nonparallel edges are sewn together to ensure that no gaps in muscle control occur.

Similarly, the back panel 17 has 3 subpanels having nonparallel edges and which have a common focus at 23. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, back panel 17 is not provided with a vertical panel corresponding to panel 4 but this feature could be incorporated.

The girdle is fabricated from any of the known elastic materials commonly employed in the art and generally known as elastic power nets and elastic lenos. A 420 denier bare Lycra (Trademark for a spandex fiber) knitted with 50 denier nylon has been found particularly suitable to retain light weight and maximum control. Rubber elastic may also be employed.

In a preferred embodiment at panels 1, 2, 3, 9 and 17 the garment is double ply Lycra (Trademark), at panel 4 the garment is three ply and elsewhere the girdle is single ply material.

Although a panty girdle having side panels 9 has been described, many other embodiments with or without side panels 9 may be produced such as high waist girdle and girdles without the crotch 18 or legs 8. Even when side panels 9 are omitted it is necessary that the nonparallel side edges of the front elastic panels shall have a common focus, in order that the elastic support panels shall have the proper relationship to the underlying muscle structure. Conventional zippers, garters and the like may of course be appended to the girdle in known manner and are therefore not described in detail.

I claim:

l. A girdle having an elastic body encircling portion including a front portion and a back portion, said front portion including a central panel and three contiguous elastic panels, which are also contiguous with said central panel and said back portion, on each side of said central panel, said elastic panels being stretchable in a direction generally transverse to said central panel such that when said girdle is worn the uppermost pair of said elastic panels is stretchable in the direction of the internal oblique abdominal muscles of the human body, the lowermost pair of said elastic panels are stretchable in the direction of the external oblique abdominal muscles of the human body and the intermediate pair of elastic panels are stretchable in the direction of the Transversus Abdominus muscles of the human body.

2. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 in which the central panel is stretchable in the direction of the Rectus Abdominus muscles of the human body.

3. A girdle as in claim 1 wherein said back portion includes elastic side panels contiguous with said front portion.

4. A girdle as in claim 1 including leg portions.

5. A girdle as claimed in claim 3 including leg portions and a nonelastic crotch portion.

6. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elastic panels are a spandex fiber material.

7. A girdle as claimed in claim 3 including leg portions panels and an elastic crotch portion.

8. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 wherein are a rubber elastic.

said elastic panels 

1. A girdle having an elastic body encircling portion including a front portion and a back portion, said front portion including a central panel and three contiguous elastic panels, which are also contiguous with said central panel and said back portion, on each side of said central panel, said elastic panels being stretchable in a direction generally transverse to said central panel such that when said girdle is worn the uppermost pair of said elastic panels is streTchable in the direction of the internal oblique abdominal muscles of the human body, the lowermost pair of said elastic panels are stretchable in the direction of the external oblique abdominal muscles of the human body and the intermediate pair of elastic panels are stretchable in the direction of the Transversus Abdominus muscles of the human body.
 2. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 in which the central panel is stretchable in the direction of the Rectus Abdominus muscles of the human body.
 3. A girdle as in claim 1 wherein said back portion includes elastic side panels contiguous with said front portion.
 4. A girdle as in claim 1 including leg portions.
 5. A girdle as claimed in claim 3 including leg portions and a nonelastic crotch portion.
 6. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elastic panels are a spandex fiber material.
 7. A girdle as claimed in claim 3 including leg portions panels and an elastic crotch portion.
 8. A girdle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elastic panels are a rubber elastic. 